The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-19
KING OF BABY KIssERs.
The Greatest Effort in the Life of a Pop
ular Maryland Congressman.
From the Nelv York Sun,

DlAJA N1ttI lttnu O1SG1cG was q noticeable
figure at the Gilsey House yesterday. He
has gained some reputation as a legislator,
but his chief title TO fame rests on the fact
that he is the champion baby kisser south of
Mason and Dixons line. He has, during
his eight years in public life, reduced baby
kissing to a fine art, and to his skill in this
art are mainly due his election and re-elec-
ton to Congress. Before Mr.. McComas be-
came the Republican standard bearer eight
years ago the Sixth district had gone reg
ularly Democratic Since that time the Re
publiCans have carried it.
Mr.. McComaS did not invent baby kissing
as campaign art. Statesmen have practiced
it from the first days of the republic. But
to him is due the honor of bringing it to a
state of perfection.
The average seeker of votes goes about
kissing promiscuous babies with all the
hilarity which would mark his approach to
the dentists chair. He folds his hands be-
hind his back, closes his eyes, clnches his
teeth, as if determined to die hard, ducks
his head, and, as a general thing, bumps
against the little ones nose and raises a
howl.
Mr.. McComas' moduS operandi is as diff
ferent from this bunglng as a Meissonier is
from a schoolgirls daub He goes about the
OlbcIdUlOl as IL IL were d tillllS Ol perennial
joy. No matter how dirty or how sore
faced the baby or how much it scratches
and squeals, he manages to throw into the
kiss an amount of tenderness that it is sure
to win the parents hearts Here is the opera
ton in detail, as testified to by thousands of
eyewitness:
First of all, Mr. McComas stands over
the baby, and beams on it with his large,
tender hazel eyes. Then as if moved by a
sudden and irresistible impulse of affection he
snatches the little one to his bosom with all
the fervor of the deserted stage mother. After
pressing it for moment with head bowed
i'll emotion, he holds it in front of him in a
horizontal position, beams once more on the
little face; then his head slowly descendS,
there is an agOnizing pause before the big
mOustache reaches the little lips, the angels
lowering about suspend the tapping of their
wings, long-drawn sigh of JOY proceeds
from the COngressman's breast, "A low, sweet
lingering, honey-suggesting smack is heard
and the deed is done.
The child is again pressed to the manly
bosom and the final mOve-perhaps the most
important of all-is made Before handing
the baby back to its proud parents he gazes
at it as if it were the most precious thing in
the world, and then fixes his eyes on the
parents with an expression which, if trans
lated into words, would read:
''And just to think, you are the
parent of this little angel! How do envy
your
Occasionally Mr. McComas adds new
scene to the act when the vote of the father
of the baby is very doubtful This scene
consists of walking slowly to the door, after
the baby is deposited in the cradle, and there,
as if forced by an overwhelming flood of
affection, to rush back to the little one and
take a final kiss. Any one who has seen the
Congressman perform this extra act must
unhesitatingly pronounce him one OF the
greatest actors of the age.
That he has a wonderful control of his
features need hardly be told. The dirtiest
mouth that ever adorned baby can't make
him blink. The greatest test to which this
facial control was ever put occurred last
October at the Frederick county fair in
Maryland, at the time Mr. McComas was
having hard fight for reelection to Con-
gress, his opponent being Col. Victor Baugh-
man, perhaps the most popular Democrat
in Maryland. The rivals, of course, at
tended the Frederick fair and settled down
to day of hand shaking and baby kissing
among the farmers Both seemed to meet
with equal success. McCOmas had found a
foeman worthy of his steel.
Toward the end of the day, however, the
merits of the rival baby kissers were put to
a terrible test, About the same time they
came upon a farmer and his wife with a
baby whose hideous red face and sore lips
would deter the bravest of men from ap-
preaching it. Col Baughman came up to
the group first, shook hands with the man,
said some sweet things to the woman, and
then glanced at the caricature of baby
As he did so a perceptible shudder passed
over his strong frame. Several friends who
stood near him encouraged the brave Colonel
with: ''Go it, Vic!" ut won't
last long!" and similar inspirit-
ing words. Baughman did seem to grow
inspirited, too, for he took the child in his
arms and prepared for the awful deed. By
this time large crowd had gathered, and in
it were many of Mr.. McComas' men who
were willing to bet freely that Baughman
would not have the nerve to go through with
the task.
The Colonel glanced at the baby again;
again he shuddered, and again look of de-
termination came into his face. Finally he
closed his eyes, clinched his teeth, and let
his head fall-but alas before his lips reach
ed the upturned face the Colonel, forced by
that incomprehensible instinct which impels
men to look upon the most repulsive OBJ
iects, took another glance at the baby. This
time it was too much for him. He grew
pale, trembled, and handed the child back
with an uncomfortable expression of loath
ing.
Just then McComas came up, and the
crowd bent forward with breathless interest
to see how the second knight would bear
himself in the arena. Baughman stood near
by, the most interested of all. Bets of five
to one that McComas wouldn't do it found
few takers. The Congressman first did the
beaming act as usual then the pressing act.
then the horizontal act; but here he grew
pale. and shade of terror crept into
his melting smile Would he succumb
like his rival9 Would he turn in disgust
from those sore lips on that early-tomato
face!
Look! He beams once more; his head
slowly descends in the usual way; there Is
the customary agonizing pause, and--ah,
yes all honor to thee, bold McComas-there
is heard the long drawn out smack. Vic
tory! The Republicans break into sup
pressed cheer. Baughman and his followers
retire discounted. McComas was elected to
Congress.
When the Congressman was asked by re-
porter Yesterday how he got through the or
deal he said, with a wry face: II managed
TO kiss the aby-but-er--I'u be ID If
| hankcred after it,.
"Buchu-Palbe."
...ia.o o,,,.o au o,po bid